Owner of Patisserie Coustance, Claire A'Violet, was given the prize for winner of the 'Best New Business' category.

Andy Coleman, of The Flitch House, collects the runner-up award in the 'Best New Business' category.

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Following on from the launch of the Shop Local campaign, our reader-driven competition set out to find the best businesses in five categories – Customer Service, Independent Retailer, Pub and Restaurant, New Business and Favourite Business.

We announced the winners last month – following a fantastic response from the public – and held the awards ceremony at the Angel & Harp, on Church End, last Thursday.

Representatives from the winning businesses and the runner-ups attended the event – and sipped on champagne as they picked up their awards.

Jill Hunter, of Hunters Hair Specialists, was delighted to have won the Favourite Business and Customer Service awards.

She said: “It is amazing to win two awards. We didn’t really know anything about the competition originally so we are just really touched our customers voted for us.”

Readers voted F J Staines as the best Independent Retailer in town. Owner Tim Brown picked up the award at the event.

“It is good to be voted the best Independent Retailer,” he told the Broadcast. “It shows we are doing something right.”

Andy Coleman’s business, The Flitch House, won the best Pub and Restaurant award and it was also runner-up in the New Business category.

“We have not been open long so it is a great start for us,” he said.

Winner of the best New Business was Patisserie Coustance. Owner Claire A’Violet said: “We were just so touched that so many of our customers nominated and voted for us. As we have only been open for such a short amount of time we are really pleased.”

The runner-ups were Scarlett & Stone, for Favourite Business, Yogi Pharmacy, for Customer Service, Sweetlands, for Independent Retailer, and The Angel & Harp, for Pub and Restaurant.

The Broadcast would like to thank everyone who participated in the competition. We hope to make the event bigger and better next year.